Saving the Arctic and what it’s got to do with Russia

Today marks my third visit to Russia, the last being in 2006 when I had the privilege of meeting President Putin to talk about the freedoms with which NGOs can operate in this country. In a curious turn of events, and some six years later, both Putin and freedoms are still very much in the news.

You can take your pick from any number of scandals currently making headlines in Russia: planned legislation aimed at hampering NGO activity and the right to protest, draconian laws aimed at internet censorship – even the fallout from the recent performance by punk group Pussy Riot, which has garnered international attention.

What is different, between my last visit and now, however, is the scale and unbridled nature of the public’s response. Russians have taken to the streets en masse to protest the shrinking democratic space in their country – up to 100,000 at various times in Moscow alone to speak out against Putin’s rule. It’s clear that Russians are no longer prepared to tolerate civil injustices and are increasingly prepared to speak up fearlessly in their own defense.

Amid this atmosphere, I am here to address the shrinking democratic space surrounding organisations like ours, but also to bring to people’s attention an outrage of a different sort; one that goes beyond Russian borders to a plight much more epic – that of our shared Arctic.

I’ve said elsewhere that the quest to save the Arctic is one of the defining battles of our time, neatly bringing together the tensions between economy and ecology that exist in our modern world.

Russia today is a country in the midst of much welcomed growth and expansion – yet progress is happening at such a rapid rate that it has become reckless; short term interests are being vigorously pursued, yet the more pertinent question of longer term impacts is rarely addressed.

At Greenpeace we’re campaigning for a halt to the senseless destruction of the Arctic in the quest for oil. We seek preservation of this pristine wilderness, and a focus instead on the many abundant sources of renewable energy that exist, and are viable alternatives, today.

When I confronted Arctic destruction by occupying the Leiv Eiriksson oil rig last year, I took with me 50,000 signatures in opposition. This year, we count well over 1.3 million voices from around the world (a great many of them Russian too); they are people who are prepared to be counted as they say No to the willful destruction of our planet.

I am here to say No to environmental destruction as much as I say No to limits on freedom of expression and assembly. History teaches us that in all major struggles, whether it’s women’s rights, apartheid, or the US civil rights movement, that it’s only when people rise in peaceful acts of civil disobedience that the course of history changes.

I think we will have to talk about freedom (of the Internet)...it will be on topic since Kumi just went to Russia to talk about f...

@Andrew

I think we will have to talk about freedom (of the Internet)...it will be on topic since Kumi just went to Russia to talk about freedom to his old friend Putin.

PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!

Question 7.) what does DUPLICATE mean...

I have get the impression all posts regarding Dr. Naidoo's past are being removed, now you call them duplicate...sorry, my english: what does it mean?

What am I doing? I am going to SAVE TUUTS...quite a simple task, correct? It is getting time since all attempts to stop global warming have failed in the last years - I do believe this is to an extend fault of Dr. Naidoo's strategy of appeasment where he gets to talk to all the important persons in the world, where he gets the chance to introduce himself to international diplomacy and make a name of himself...and which is leading Greenpeace into agony.

I am with Greenpeace since the age of 6. This is pretty much 35 years now.

I am watching Greenpeace in astonishment for the last 3 years...after you answered me question number 2 (why did Dr. Naidoo go to Russia for?) I will tell you what it looks to me why he went...as I have pointed out in previous blogs, caution: duplicate, I did get the impression he loves international flashpoints...Dr. Naidoo is living for a cause...

Unfortunately his cause has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do what Greenpeace used to be until 3 years ago!

'...Greenpeace is an environmental NGO which focuses its campaigning on world wide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues...'

He still does not seem to have noticed...

Worse, his causes, e.g. his actual trip to Russia, are making the work of Greenpeace (Russia) extremely difficult! Can you follow?

Thank you...

PS: Question 8.) who is Gerd Leipold? A little hint: during cold war he took a hot-air balloon to go from West to East Berlin to protest against nuclear testing...to me this is quite something to enter the restricted airspace of a totalitarian country during cold war.

I think you can call this a fact.

The claims of someone else are fertile grounds for doubts...although not knowing what you mean by calling any of my posts regarding Dr. Naidoo's past 'duplicate' ... I would love to quote Gandhi now:

' first they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win'

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Neil Jones
says:

Very well said Kumi. I'm in awe of the ordinary people risking arrest to defend freedom for everyone in Russia. I'm equally inspired by those ...

Very well said Kumi. I'm in awe of the ordinary people risking arrest to defend freedom for everyone in Russia. I'm equally inspired by those who have been taking action in the Arctic to defend it from the reckless pursuits of oil companies. Keep up the good work.

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(Unregistered) GREEN Savior
says:

Question number 2: why did Dr. Naidoo go to Russia for?

Today, thirsday 16th at 15:45 I would like to make the following statement withou...

Question number 2: why did Dr. Naidoo go to Russia for?

Today, thirsday 16th at 15:45 I would like to make the following statement without knowing what Dr. Naidoo's next blog will be about:

I strongly belief Dr. Naidoo is trying to get his name Media-attention in relation to the process against Pussy Riot...

Dr. Naidoo, anti-apartheid activist from South Africa, talks to his friend Putin about the freedom to express yourself...meanwhile the Greenpeace-Website is being cleared by all comments regarding Dr. Naidoos's 'so said' biography, regarding ANC and political involvements of ANC...Robert Mugabe and the Zanu-party.

Greenpeace's moral authority used to be a direct result of its incredible credibility...serving as a stage for international career-building will destroy this immediately...

Sun Wu

PS: I am waiting, why did Arctic Sunrise go to Murmansk for, and what is Greenpeace doing in the USA? I saw there is a radio Greenpeace-radio station...they broadcast the same stuff regarding Obama like used to publish and twitter?

PPS: have you heard, Sir Walrus is now supporting Pussy Riot aswell - Kumi and Paul, the savior-dream-team

PPPS: what does duplicate mean? I do know exactly which of my posts you deleted...for example it was not possible for me to post 'The White Savior Industrial Complex' by the Nigerian Teju Cole...why?

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(Unregistered) GREEN Savior
says:

Andrew,
sometimes I do get the impression you have a hard time following me - diplomatically said...

...or I try to show why books ...

Andrew,
sometimes I do get the impression you have a hard time following me - diplomatically said...

...or I try to show why books & brains are the first victims of totalitarian regimes and the greenpeace-web manager.

A.) I do not have a technical problem...!

B.) I have visited www.greenpeace.org - this is why I kindly tried to tell you what Greenpeace used to do by bringing an example - Gerd Leipold, who was him? but nice, you have a radio-station in the USA having read some of the stuff the Greenpeace Chief Executive Brain is saying I do not really want to know what you guys broadcast about Obama...besides this www.greenpeace.usa is a soft-wahed version of www.greenpeace.org - harddly any actions of GP USA

C.) can we agree that while Dr. Naidoo is claiming to talk to Putin about the freedom of the Internet and to expresss yourself you guys censor the internet? Worse, you even have my email-adresses blogged, I can not write to my friend Frits de Vink anymore...

I tried to post 'the white savior Industrial complex...'

Also I said that Kumi must have forgotten to mention a few things when talking to his brothers and sisters of ANC, last time in April 2012...this is the type of posts you delete...if it was duplicate, pls show me where they are now!

Please do me one favor and do not try to make me look stupid.. technical problems...and Pussy Riot had nothing to do with Kumi's visit to Russia.

Of course not, as you just gave a danish nobody the chance to blog about a 'so-called' Arctic Indigenous Conference all of us here got the point - you guys enjoy dutch coffeeshop culture and seem to have fun.

Didn't I say why I am so hard to Kumi? Since you delete blogs of mine you must be reading me...I think I said it at least a thousand times...sorry, if I say it again you call it a duplicate....agony, wasnt there something... opening offices...and?

WHATEVER Greenpeace is doing now - please think twice. If Kumi decides to go back to Africa to join anti-poverty movement it would be fine with me, ...all his blogs including all the comments disappearing with him which would be fine with me aswell...

If nothing is changing it would be ok for me aswell...because then I will change it

The web is prepared ... remember courtcase against the Fraud Niels Stolberg in Seiptember? Remember the Link between SKYSAILS and the RAINBOW WARRIOR?

:)

Sun Wu, godfather of the Rainbow Warrior III

PS: question no. 1 (what did AS go to Murmansk for?)

Andrew, the next time someone asks you something like this I would like you to say: campaign-related! Stop, nothing more.

You would not believe it what my friend Frits de Vink calls campaign-related...it seems to work, at least as long as the funding is coming from Germany

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(Unregistered) GREEN Savior
says:

Andrew,

I might have confuse you - IN THE SAKE OF GREENPEACE - this is the important stuff...you may delete it, it's a duplicate.

Andrew,

I might have confuse you - IN THE SAKE OF GREENPEACE - this is the important stuff...you may delete it, it's a duplicate.

WHATEVER Greenpeace is doing now - please think twice. If Kumi decides to go back to Africa to join anti-poverty movement it would be fine with me, ... all his blogs including all the comments disappearing with him would be fine with me aswell...

If nothing is changing it would be ok for me aswell...because then I will change it

The web is prepared ... remember courtcase against the Fraud Niels Stolberg in Seiptember? Remember the Link between SKYSAILS and the RAINBOW WARRIOR?

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(Unregistered) GREEN Savior
says:

I do believe NOW would be the time to support them...not before courtcase

Have you experience with a system of injustice?

S...

I do believe NOW would be the time to support them...not before courtcase

Have you experience with a system of injustice?

Shit, Putin is on its way to become a flawless dictator.

Have you ever challenged a dictator, or threatened a wounded animal?

Sending Arctic sunrise to Russia before them being sentenced ...and the CEO of GPI following..come on guys - Putin had announced he would treat NGO related persons as FOREIGN agents...he already seems to be the judicial power which is the far biggest scandal.

Well done Kumi...why did you claim having had to go to exile? Didn't you feel like becoming Mandela's neighbour on Robben Island?